Build a Rule Based Group
- Choose the subscriber list. Click Browse and choose the list from which this group is created. If you are creating a simple rule, go to Step 2. If you are creating a complex rule, skip to Step 5.
- For a simple rule - Choose the profile or preference attribute. ClickField and choose from the profile attributes or preference attributes defined in your account. Click the desired attribute.
- Click the drop-down and choose the operator that best describes the relationship between the attribute and the value in this rule.
- Choose the comparison value. Note Be sure to choose an operator that makes sense with the type of attribute you chose. Forexample, don't use the less than operator with a text attribute. For attributes with typeequal to date, only the following operators are supported: is equal to, is not equal to, isgreater than and is less than. For preference attributes, you do not select an operator. (Theoperator can only be is.)Click the drop-down list associated with the field labeled the word(s). Your options in this field depend on the attribute and operator you selected. For preference attributes, your only options are Yes and No. If the attribute has defined values, the dialog box features a drop-down list consisting of those defined values. You can only select 1 value from the drop-down. For date attributes, the comparison value can be a specific date or a relative date. The baseline date for evaluation is in CST. To look for a specific date, select Date from the drop-down and enter the desired datein the text field to the right of the drop-down. To look for a relative date, select Today, Today Plus or Today Minus. For Today Plus andToday Minus, designate how many Days, Weeks, Months, or Years you want to look in the pastor to the future. Choose whether to include the year in the evaluation by selecting or deselecting theInclude Year check box. If the attribute is a free-form field (with no defined values) or a preference attribute, you see a text box in which you type the value. You'll need to type it exactly as it's been entered in subscriber records. If you chose exists in or not exists in as the operator, enter all the possible valuesin the text box separated by commas (no spaces between values). The maximum number ofcharacters that you can enter in the text box is 2,000.If you are creating a simple rule, skip to Step 12. If you are creating a complex rule, go to Step 5.
- Click the drop-down list associated with the field labeled the word(s). Your options in this field depend on the attribute and operator you selected.
- For preference attributes, your only options are Yes and No.
- If the attribute has defined values, the dialog box features a drop-down list consisting of those defined values. You can only select 1 value from the drop-down.
- For date attributes, the comparison value can be a specific date or a relative date. The baseline date for evaluation is in CST. To look for a specific date, select Date from the drop-down and enter the desired datein the text field to the right of the drop-down. To look for a relative date, select Today, Today Plus or Today Minus. For Today Plus andToday Minus, designate how many Days, Weeks, Months, or Years you want to look in the pastor to the future. Choose whether to include the year in the evaluation by selecting or deselecting theInclude Year check box.
- To look for a specific date, select Date from the drop-down and enter the desired datein the text field to the right of the drop-down.
- To look for a relative date, select Today, Today Plus or Today Minus. For Today Plus andToday Minus, designate how many Days, Weeks, Months, or Years you want to look in the pastor to the future.
- Choose whether to include the year in the evaluation by selecting or deselecting theInclude Year check box.
- If the attribute is a free-form field (with no defined values) or a preference attribute, you see a text box in which you type the value. You'll need to type it exactly as it's been entered in subscriber records. If you chose exists in or not exists in as the operator, enter all the possible valuesin the text box separated by commas (no spaces between values). The maximum number ofcharacters that you can enter in the text box is 2,000.
- If you chose exists in or not exists in as the operator, enter all the possible valuesin the text box separated by commas (no spaces between values). The maximum number ofcharacters that you can enter in the text box is 2,000.
- For complex rules, click Advanced.
- Choose the profile or preference attribute. Click Field and choose from the profile attributes or preference attributes defined in your account.
- Click Condition and choose the operator that best describes the relationship between the attribute and the value that you define in this rule. For preference attributes, you do not select an operator.
- Click Word(s) drop-down and your options in this field depend on the attribute and operator you selected. You can select either Yes or No for the preference attributes.
- Click Add to List and the rule you just created is entered into the rule-building box in the middle of the dialog box.
- Choose whether the two rules are connected by AND or OR before you add the next rule. If you choose AND from the Operator drop-down list in the middle of the dialog box, the subscriber must meet both the preceding requirement (rule) and the next requirement that you're about to add in order for that subscriber to belong to this group. If you choose OR, the subscriber must meet one of the requirements, not necessarily both, to belong to the group.
- You can add as many rules as needed by repeating the above steps. Note: For the most predictable results, you should use only AND or OR (not a mixture of both) to connect all your rules. Remember that you cannot group rule into parentheses, which is necessary when mixing AND and OR statements.
- When using simple or complex rules and when done building the rule or rules, clickNext for the Identify Group dialog box appears next.
- Enter the name and description of the group and specify the location where it is stored. Enter a name in Group Name to identifies the group in the Email Send wizard. In the Group Description field, enter a brief description of the group. This description appears in the group workspace. Choose the group folder in which to store the group. If you want to create a new group folder, click the New button, which opens a dialog box in which you can select the parent folder for the new folder and then type in the name of the new folder.
- Click Create in the Identify Group dialog box. Email Studio reads through your subscriber data to build the new group.
- If you want to see the group that was created, select View your newly createdgroup check box.
- Click Finish to exit the wizard. Your group is now accessible from the groups area of the navigation pane and is ready for selection when sending emails.
